Travis Cloke trades Kew home for Kangaroo Ground as AFL stars sell up on super Saturday

Collingwood forward Travis Cloke has bought a luxury rural home worth a rumoured $1.5 million as other sports stars played the property field on a record autumn auction day.

AFL footballers were among the 1600 vendors who sent homes under the hammer on Saturday, and all are celebrating a win.

Travis Cloke's new home at Kangaroo Ground Photo: Supplied

Cloke and his model fiancee, Rebeccah Panozza, are trading the inner-city lights of Kew for the country life at Kangaroo Ground.

On Thursday, two days before a scheduled auction, Cloke accepted an offer of almost $3.1 million for his fully renovated, triple-storey home, which hit the market carrying price expectations of about $2.7 million.

The First Avenue home with a lift, four bedrooms, a theatre, rumpus room and two kitchens, was listed by Fletchers agents Nick and Rob Fletcher.

The Kangaroo Ground home is believed to have been bought for about $1.5 million

Within 24 hours, the glamour couple spent a speculated $1.5 million on a modern but much smaller home, on a substantially larger block of 8.1 hectares. Kew covered 692 square metres.

In Carlton North, it was game on at the auction of Western Bulldogs’ skipper Bob Murphy’s stylish property.

The double-storey, three bedroom home at 32 Newry Street, with two bathrooms, city views and a courtyard, fetched $1.71 million, against price expectations around $1.3 million.

The new home is modern but much smaller than the Kew house. Photo: Supplied

Fast bidding rocketed the home on to the market at $1.54 million.

Essendon recruit Nathan Grima is pocketing about $100,000 over reserve for the sale of his Ascot Vale home at 204 The Parade.

Grima bought the period property four years ago and undertook a major restoration and contemporary extension. At auction, it netted him $1.73 million.

A monster forward like Travis Cloke is a valuable commodity. Photo: Pat Scala

Richmond midfielder Bachar Houli is banking $562,500 for the sale of 1/9 First Avenue in Altona North.

RT Edgar agent Rashard Risilia said four bidders threw their hands up during a long and competitive auction.

He said the Altona North market is “flying” and Houli’s home was highly sought because of its renovation.

Cloke traded the inner-city for the country life. Photo: Supplied

The sum was a record for a sub-divided block in the rapidly gentrifying suburb, Mr Risilia said.

In Sydney, Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has relisted his Ryde investment apartment, anticipating $750,000 to $800,000

The auction for the Gladstone Avenue pad will be on April 9, in the same week Magnussen, the dual 100m freestyle world champion, will be competing in Adelaide for Olympic team selection.